Remnants of the Past
by XItsOnlyLoveX
Summary: Chapter three up. AU Season Eight. Everything's different now. But is it really?
1. Remnants of the Past

**AN- Hey there! First Buffy Fic! First fic on this site, actually. Okay, please read and review, flames are allowed but please don't go too hard on me! This will hopefully be the first in a trilogy, the second story being "Legacy of the Present", and the third being "Survivors of the Future". Sorry if it takes me a while to update, I'm still just getting the hang of this site...**

**Summary-I know the story might be confusing at first, and it doesn't strictly follow what is in Buffy, but it's my take on it. This is basically around 25 years after the end of season 7, Angel was killed at the end of AtS, but he was brought bak human as a reward [bare with me here, I'm not a huge AtS fan, and know little of it and thus Buffy and he were able to, y'know, copulate. They had twins, Kennedy and Aria. Tara was only wounded in 'Seeing Red', and the events still take place like they do in the proceeding episodes, but just askewed slightly. By divine means, Willow and Tara had a daughter, Samantha. There's another character, my own creation, named Taylor. She's roughly the same age as Tara in this body, her soul's much older however. Complicated there, but there might be a prequil to this story centering on her. Kathryn is her daughter with another character who's mostly out of the picture right now. I think this may be too long! Just... read. Don't take my summary for the story, it's going to be much more [I hope!**

Disclaimer: I don't own any Canon Buffy the Vampire Slayer stuff... yet... you just wait, Joss, someday, _it will be mine! _But seriously, the only things I own are the things I've made up. Don't sue, please.

Chapter 1-Remnants of the Past

Darkness. Nothing other. Not even a hint of light, a soft glow from the moon, or even starlight. Nothing. She stands on the tips of her toes, expecting to see something outside the barred window. Nothing. She shivers slightly, sitting on the damp and dirty floor. She closes her eyes tight and tries to make her mind go blank. A small sigh escapes her lips, but she silences it quickly. If they let her see nothing, then she would let them see nothing. The familiar darkness once again enters her mind as she leans against the cool wall. Her once bright eyes have long since dimmed, her once beautiful hair now matted and knotted, and her once built body has slimmed to what would appear to be unhealthy, but under closer inspection it's still made up of all muscle. Even her mind is less than what it was. The only thing that has not degraded is her will, her passion, her fury, her love, her emotions. They are there, but they aren't apparent. Her eyes, hair and body are physical, and easy to lose. Her mind is mental, easy to corrupt, but her emotions, her emotions are instinctive, primal, unchanging.

She doesn't know much now, except that she wants them to pay, she needs them to pay for what they did, what they took. Although the memories of what actually happened and what occurred in the aftermath are long since hidden within the depths of her subconscious, she knows that much. She knows only one other thing as pure as their need to pay; that she will make them.

X

_In the beginning, there was only nothing. That is how everything came to be, how everything was birthed. Without nothing there would not be something. To have one, you must have the opposite. At one point nothing and something became one. Much like the creatures that were born from the Joining. Nothing brought The Hollow, the dark. Something brought The Spirited, the light. Yin and Yang. Being dark or light does not necessarily mean evil or good, it just means alternate. Naturally, they began to struggle to become dominate, as everything and everyone that has an opposite will and always has. If something is truly opposite from another, then a war between will result in nothing but a draw. This is not the case. With The Hollow and The Spirited, one gained an edge. The Spirited found that it was not always an advantage to be such; they soon found some falling from ranks, joining The Hollow and even combining. Eventually many of the two became indistinguishable from one another. Almost all had some of the other within themselves. There were still some pure left, but their numbers declined, pushing their status higher in their hierarchy. The war between all took a different direction, no longer all honourable or truthful. The now few pure Daemons and Aengels were disgusted at what they had created, this bastardization of what they had once stood for. The Hollow Daemons and The Spirited Aengels left this plane of existence, leaving few, if any, behind. Thus grew the world we are in now. Within all you see, even those you don't, are traces of The Hollow and The Spirited. Most are so muddled with each other they have nothing that the originals had. There are a high number with the Gifts, but with some it remains unbidden, secluded within a part of themselves they will never access. There are also many who have embraced the Gifts. Some take no sides, remaining keepers between the balance, whilst some choose dark or light. Many more mistake the choices for evil and good. Some of the Originals even take these sides. The only ones that remain true to the Originals are the Null. They are nothing and everything, an equal balance between. Observers, nothing more. Ones with too much blending are now known as Humans; the ones with distinctive or even strands of Original are known as Demons, Archangels, and number of things other, gaining attributes specific to their mix. With sides growing in power, some were made that targeted the opposite specifically; ones infused with higher power of one side to destroy the other. Slayers take the light offensive to the Darks' Hunters._

_By being labelled one or the other, you aren't choosing a side; it is not in the name or the Gift, but the wielder. This is a tale of the Gifted, of Demons and Angels, but most of all, of choices._

X

"Come on! Hurry up!" 22 year old Kennedy Summers' voice rang out in the forest as she ran along at a brisk pace, her long, black-brown hair flying behind her. Matching eyes twinkled, a smile reaching them. Her twin, Aria, kept pace behind her, neither of them showing any signs of strain. Two others lagged back from the other two.

"I can tell she's really enjoying this." Kathryn Nika whispered to her cousin as the two of them went slower, her naturally highlighted brown hair nicely commenting her brown, green, and blue literally mixed eyes. Kat was also 22, her cousin only months younger than her at 21, and the twins only a month and a half older than Kathryn.

"You think? She doesn't realize that we aren't all as strong as she and Aria are," Samantha Maclay smiled sadly, "and, well, at least I'm not. You, on the other hand, you have gifts ad you still choose not to use them." Kat looked at her cousin, her eyes studying her high cheekbones, dirty blonde hair, and pure blue eyes, with the barest hints of green flecking the rims. She was of average height and had a good build, but she was showing signs of exertion. Her cheeks were flushed, but she wore a smile. Kathryn on the other hand looked much like their friends; relaxed and at ease with the exercise.

"I told you, I... I just don't, y'know, like, using them. My powers," she sighed then continued "they aren't-"

"Good?" Sam cut her off "Kat, no matter what a seven million year old prophecy says, you _and_ your powers aren't evil." she finished, a cross and stubborn look settling on her fine features.

"It's seven _thousand_, not million, years. And I'm not sure about me -them- whatever, being good. Remember Jackson?" Kathryn said, trailing off, her eyes downcast.

Sam stopped running at this remark, prompting her cousin to do the same. Kennedy and Aria kept running, oblivious to their friends, or perhaps they knew all too well what was happening, but chose to stay separate from it.

"Kat, that was... complicated, to say the least. He was hurting me. It was my fault. You were just protecting me, doing what I would do for you, what anyone who loves another would do."

"Never, ever, say that it was your fault." Kathryn said, her eyes angry but pleading at the same time. "What Jack was doing was of his own will, not of yours. I know he was hurting you, it's just that that doesn't make it right. I should've let him suffer, I shouldn't have lost control like that, rather than-" Kathryn tried to get the last part out, but her words were cut short by Samantha's exasperated tones.

"Please, Kat. Stop. I don't blame you for what you did, neither do Tara or Willow, _your _mother didn't, or pretty much anyone else!" Sam finished, placing a comforting arm on her older cousin. Kathryn meant like to shrug it off, but she suppressed the urge. Sitting down on the damp moss covered forest floor, she sighed. Sam followed her lead, taking her place on a rock opposite her cousin. The two cousins shared a look, a mix of sadness and regret. Finally, Kathryn spoke.

"What you said before, that's exactly true; _pretty much _no one else blames me. Pretty much in particular Buffy, and Xander, and Anya. The only reason that they tolerate me being under the same roof as their children is because it was Moms "dying wish" and everything, and because Tara and Willow are vouching for me. I can't even hope for having a shot with… well, you know. Do you think that it would _ever_, in seven million or thousand years, fly with Buffy that I'd be dating anyone related to her, much less her child?" Kat finished her rant, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She sighed once again and brushed them away. Looking into the depths of the forest to avoid her cousins eyes, she saw something blur across her line of sight. It would've been too fast for anyone with just human perception to notice, but Kathryn sure as hell caught it. Apparently, so did Sam.

"Manifesto." The slight word parted from Sams lips, barely a whisper. The wind rushed up around the two, and Kat could only hope that Kennedy and Aria were out of range of whatever this creature was, and hoped that it didn't have any accomplices. Suddenly in front of them…

X

Dun-dun-duuunn... Cliffhanger. Kind of. More will follow soon, don't worry.


	2. Hurt and Hope

**AN- Thanks for the reviews!!! Literally made my day! I hope you like the next chapter, it might be a little short but I hope it's alright. I stole some inspiration from Uskohakuchan, so thanks for that! Some of the story was sort of inspired by Entropy, but I realized that after I wrote heh. And don't sue. Please. Full disclaimer's in the first chapter.**

X

_Looking into the depths of the forest , she saw something blur across her line of sight. It would've been too fast for anyone without extra perception to notice, but Kathryn caught it. Apparently, so did Sam._

"_Manifesto." The slight word parted from Sams lips, barely a whisper. The wind rushed up around the two, and Kat could only hope that Kennedy and Aria were out of range of whatever this creature was, and hoped that it didn't have any accomplices. Suddenly in front of them…_

X

A beast with yellow and red skin, with occasional tufts of blue fur, appeared in front of the two, as if by magic. Well, it was actually magick. The creature had horns like the biblical depictions of the Devil, and it wore a crudely made loincloth, offset by a nicely crafted bronze breastplate, deep gashes contrasting strongly with the Runic and Arcane symbols on the piece of armour. It looked like a cross between a bear and a human.

Two scimitars were the weapons of choice for the beast, which it spun around in a threatening manner, the edges glinting menacingly. Its eyes were a deep purple, for whatever reason, and they had no pupil, no iris; the whole eye was a royal purple. Moments after being summoned, it snarled at the two and quickly broke free of the spell it had been captured in, flashing a set of finely sharpened teeth, about twice the size of a normal humans, in what appeared to be an attempt at sneering.

Kathryn quickly made a symbol in the air with her hands, closing her eyes but still remaining aware of the creatures movement through the combination of the rather obnoxious noise it was making and the putrid smell it gave off, sort of a burnt hair mixed with rotten eggs.

When Kat opened her eyes, they shone a unique mix of aqua blue and forest green, as if swirled together, centred by a dark brownish red pupil.

In her left hand, already adorned with two Celtic rings and a bracelet of silver, an engraved long sword appeared in a swirl of mist and heat. It was beautifully crafted out of silver and steel, Gaelic and Celtic knot work running up both the blade and the sheath that appeared in Kathryn's opposite hand.

The blade curved slightly from the shoulder of the blade all the way up to the tip, the knot work running on the fuller, almost resembling a Katana, but with its own sense of style and placement. The fuller was separated into two by a slight aperture halfway up, the aperture itself weaving a scene of knots. The sword was razor sharp, and it seemed as to cut the air itself. Kathryn fashioned the sheath to the side of her jeans and readied the blade, holding it horizontally aligned with her face and closing her eyes once again.

Samantha did the same with her eyes, her fingers forming an intricate sign on both hands. A slight lime green tinge came to the air around her hands, and it soon grew all around her until it seemed as if Samantha was glowing green, or if her aura had become visible.

Soon all around the two cousins, a circle made from the demon from before appeared, almost twenty of the beasts encompassing them. No, not twenty beasts, twenty _copies_.

_If we find the right one, the original, surely the others will disappear…Right?_

The thought drifted from Samantha's mind into her older Cousins, but the fear Sam's face masked stayed within herself, her emotions not going with the message, even though Kathryn herself shared some of them. Even though Kat could sense them at any given time without so much as breaking a sweat. Or, you know, to be more accurate, without so much as expending any magick at all.

Although this was true, Kathryn would never purposely invade someone's head or feelings like that, only sometimes her powers liked to wander on their own, something that her mother had had problems with when she was younger as well. Even the strict and rigorous training Kathryn had undertook did nothing to help, it was like they had a mind of their own.

Samantha on the other hand had been trained by the best growing up; Willow Rosenberg and Tara Maclay. Samantha had only her magicks to gain control over, whereas her cousin had many more aspects of her being to tame. Some of those aspects namely being the millennia-year old Daemon power within her trying desperately to get out and fulfill the prophecy her Grandfather, that bastard, had set in stone for her to complete. A prophecy that a drunken one night stand between a souled vampire and a literal mutt of a demon/human/whatever had set into motion.

It always seemed a little anti-climatic to Kathryn that the harbinger of the end of the world was born because of a bad break-up and some equally bad tequila. Now that she thought about it, maybe that's why Buffy really didn't like her, because of her procreator, her begetter, her big daddy. Probably that mixed with the circumstances under which Kat was conceived.

While Kathryn mused on about this in her head, even though it took her off her guard for a slight few seconds, it gave one of the beasts just enough of an opening to strike. It charged, bringing the left scimitar down hard onto Kathryn's right arm. A line of crimson followed the edge of the blade across Kats arm as the beast pulled the weapon across. As she tried to parry one scimitar, it raked the other across her midsection, a gash deepening as the thing threw its body back into line hastily.

Kat grimaced, biting her bottom lip against the pain and cursing herself inwardly for having such a wandering mind. Sam was preoccupied with another of the beasts, flashes of energy flowing from the tips of her fingers and weaving a net around the creature. Once the magick was all around it, she closed her fist tight and the net responded by copying her gesture, splitting the beast into bits and pieces of… air?

"Okay, so that's not the right one, apparently. It's just a case of which witch is which." Sam said, slightly disappointed.

"Substitute 'witch' with 'nasty-looking-bearish-demon' and you have a pretty good theory on your hands there, Sam." Kathryn smiled slightly, her eyes taking in all the beasts once more. "Let's just get the 'kill it' phase out of the way, then go about the whole 'ask questions about the big, ugly demon' phase."

After hearing the two talking about it, the original demon's face contorted in anger.

_**"No one speaks about Uugani the Great in that manner!"**_ It roared, breaking formation to rush the shorter and younger of the cousins.

"Which is probably _why _you're still called Uugani the Great. At least by yourself." Kat quipped lightly. She spun her sword in the same fashion her opponent had when they first came face to face, a smile playing on her lips.

While Kathryn was taunting it, Sam had muttered some more under her breath, only instead of jeers and insults, it was a spell.

"_Altrek n'meia llaunda fyr. C'tera prusk!"_ She finished louder, a red blaze of magicks jumping from her body onto the instigating creature. Once it was enveloped in the red, it started howling. The blaze grew brighter, so bright that the two had to shield their eyes. Eventually there was nothing left but a pile of ask on the ground, the doppelganger Uugani the Greats' faded as well.

The spell done and the beasts gone, Samantha and Kathryn had time to rest. Suddenly, Sam became unsteady on her feet, and she nearly fell. Kat caught her, trying to hide her wince of pain as she extended her right arm to help her friend but failing only slightly. When Kat looked at Sams face, it was blank, her eyes closed. She was…_asleep?_

_Oh well, I guess she deserves some shut eye after that spell. Goddess, where does she learn things like that? I guess she's not as innocently learning Magicks as I thought._ Kathryn thought to herself, slightly scared at the thought of her little cousin knowing such powerful magick. She wanted Sam to stay as much out of the darker magicks as she could, and to leave that territory to Kat.

A stick cracked behind Kat when she was looking at Sam for any signs of harm. Signs other than the whole fainting deal, that is. Spinning around and grabbing the blade only inches away from her, Kathryn faced the possible new challenge. No challenge, however, it was just Kennedy and Aria.

" Are you guys alright? We noticed you guys were really not behind us, and we saw the bright -whatever it was- and we hurried back as fast as we could." Aria asked, both her and Kennedy's eyes full of concern.

"Oh, my God. Kat," Kennedy started, noticing the now steadily bleeding gashes across both Kathryn's forearm and torso. She moved over to her as Aria went to Samantha's side, letting her sister look after Kat for now and giving her friend a break from worrying about Sam. When Kennedy put her hand above the wound on Kat's arm, she heard the slight intake of breath and subsequent gasp of pain from Kathryn.

"I'm fine, really, it doesn't hurt that much. Nothing to worry about. Besides, in a few hours it'll probably be healed anyways." Kat lied, but Kennedy saw through it.

Looking at the other woman, Kennedy spoke gently and with kindly, " You're going to need something more than a few hours rest. These are deep," she motioned to the cuts, "and you might need stitches. Even if they heal on their own, there will still be some pretty bad scars left, and the stitches will help leave the scars minimal. But right now, you need to let me help you. Alright?" she finished, looking the other in the eye, evidently concerned.

"Alright." Kat conceded defeat, putting her good arm up in mock surrender.

"But you have to promise me you won't freak when you see the cut across my stomach." Kat motioned down to where her shirt was still concealing the worst of the wounds. Kennedy gave her a look of surprise, thinking that she got it the worst on her arm. She thought for a few dramatic seconds, then nodded her head, giving Kat her word.

Kat gave Kennedy a small smile, blushing slightly but failing to notice that the Kennedy was, too.

"Okay, here goes." Kat exhaled as she brought the hem of her shirt up to just above her wound but just below her bra, revealing tightly built abs, and one hell of a wicked cut across them.

"Oh my God." Kennedy started before being cut off by her friend.

"You promised me you wouldn't, Ken. Please. Plus, you already said that earlier." Kat joked lightly, trying to hide the pain the cut brought her, and failing. She was shaking slightly from the amount of blood lost, but with the whole 'immortal' deal, it wouldn't mean anything more than a bad case of the shakes and some pain.

"I know." Kennedy whispered, resigning to her word and beginning to tear strips of cloth off from a sheet Aria had brought in a backpack just in case something like this happened.

"Yell at me if I'm hurting you, please." Kennedy started wrapping the cotton strips around the laceration, trying to be firm and gentle in the same move. Kat did a good job of stopping herself from showing the pain, only wincing outwardly once or twice. After a few moments of silence from both ends, Kat spoke up, Kennedy meeting her gaze.

"You could never hurt me, Ken." Kathryn said seriously, the two looking the other in the eye, only breaking when Sam started coughing and waking up.

X

More to come soon hopefully! Please R/R, flames allowed but please, don't make me want to kill myslef or something. Nice flames. Good flames. Preferrably not flames? Thanks for spending time and reading, I really appreciate it!

Sidenote: Should I be breaking the text up even more??


	3. More Than Nothing

NOTICE- The characters ages are to be changed from 22-ish down to around 18. Adjust accordingly.

AN- Thanks once again for the reviews! If you didn't see this coming before, there's going to be a bit of Slash in this chapter. Okay, I lied. More than a bit. We're also going to see some Canon characters in here.

So, I'm going to be taking a little while to update after this is published, or it might have taken me more time to publish this. Reason being, I'm currently writing the ending two chapters to this first installment of the trilogy.

I apologize for any errors in.. anything. I'm tired, as I so often am when I write. And I've caught a few, but just keep my apology in mind, in case you're carrying your big, scary dictionaries and pitchforks to my house as you read.

I hope you like the chapter[s!

Chapter 3:

More Than Nothing

X

The castle was huge. No other word would better fit it within being realistic. Actually, gigantic would fit, too. It belonged now to Buffy and Dawn Summers, and when they passed on, it would go to Aria, Kennedy, and Max. The castle hadn't been in the Summers line, it had been given to them by Buffy's late watcher and everyone's paternal figure, Rupert Giles.

It was located in a secluded area of Northern England bordering on Scotland, and it was mainly kept secret from anyone but the Slayers, the Watchers Council, or someone who needed to know. It housed upwards of 700 slayers at times, and never less than 500. Every year many new Slayers were born from previous Slayers, but rarely were they called anymore. It seemed that when one was called, she was more endowed with the Slayer powers than ones just born, or ones that were alive from being awakened by Willow Rosenberg. Even though no previously called Slayer died, there was something of a glitch in the system, causing a new Slayer to be called every few years.

Since no daughter had been born from a Slayer before The Calling, it had never been known whether or not the child too would become one with the powers of her mother. Now, children born from Slayers have the same power as if being awakened, but less than being called. This meant many casualties, but also many allies.

As she walked through the main hall of 'Castle Slayage' as it was affectionately dubbed by some of it's younger occupants, Kennedy still couldn't help but catch her breath in her awe when she looked around her. It was truly a thing of beauty, said to be constructed as early as 1173 AD by some of the first members of the Watchers Council.

Tapestries given to the Council from countries close and far hung on the walls, many from places most could not find on a map. In them were depicted epic battles, tragic heroes, and powerful warriors. Kennedy could only hope that one day she would be immortalized in such a manner.

Ornamental weapons adorned arches, glinting with ancient bloodlust from light cast by torches lining the halls. If you looked closely at the weaponry, you would see that it wasn't just ornamental; it had been used before. They bore the nicks and cuts of battle, some dulled with time, others stayed sharp. It was funny, it reminded her of humans.

As some got older, they lost the things they gained before, never finding that one special place again, letting the stories of the scars be forgotten. Others carried them in stride, keeping them with them always, never too far out of reach. Both were signs of warriors, but only the latter proved true heroes.

Finding her room would be difficult for someone who didn't know where to look, but for Kennedy, like the many other children of the Original Scoobies, it was a piece of cake.

She took a glance down at her watch, noting that it was already 2:30 in the morning.

'Time flies when you're training, I guess.' she thought to herself, turning down the smaller corridor that led to the group of rooms that housed her and her sister, Kathryn, Samantha, Max, Dawns son, and Alex, Xander and Anya's son. When she reached the hall, she noted that two doors had faint light spilling underneath the solid oak. Hers, which she knew to be vacant, and the door to the room next to her. 

'_Kathryn's room.'_ she mused. Walking up to the door three feet beside her own, she knocked slightly. No answer. No movement.

Kennedy smiled slightly, knowing that it was too late for pretty much anybody to be up, especially with what was going on in the coming week. In fact, her mother had given out strict orders to everyone that lights out was 2 AM at the latest. Kennedy never liked the rules, and neither did her best friend. Turning back to her room, she heard footsteps coming down the hall.

"You should be asleep by now, Buffy was clear that she wanted no one up." One of the many watchers occupying the castle along with its other inhabitants spoke up to her.

"Sorry, I was just getting in some last minute training before lights out, and I guess I lost track of time." Kennedy gave him an apologetic grin, turning into her room and shutting the door. He walked off with a look of slight annoyance, as so many of those British people had around here.

Sighing and shaking her head, she quickly got out of her training outfit and slipped into a darker outfit. Comfy, yet stealthy. And, very cute.

Turning off her light, she walked over to her balcony window that her row of rooms were privileged to have. Sliding opening the door, she slipped out slowly, looking for movement anywhere close by. Score. Nothing anywhere.

Shutting the sliding door, she walked up to the edge of the stone balcony. Looking up at the moon, she stepped out onto the ledge and looked down. It was a two story drop, but it wasn't anything too major for her.

Kennedy held her breath and jumped, letting the familiar butterfly feeling come and go in a matter of seconds. Once again she looked around, and seeing no movement, she started to sprint towards the woods.

She ran for a few minutes, letting the soft glow from the moon guide her way along the underbrush until she hit a clearing. One that if you didn't know where it was, you couldn't have a chance in Hell to find it.

Well, she knew people who went to Hell and came back, her father did it a few times in fact, but it was a hard place to find to say the least.

The space had grass with patches of dirt for a floor, and was just about the only clearing that had no trees sprouting from random areas in it. It opened onto the edge of the slight mountain range the castles land was on.

You could see for miles, and though most of the year you could see the moon perfectly. It was a perfect spot; secluded, yet still open, and theirs.

When Kennedy came to the clearing, she walked out about fifteen feet, to what it would seem to someone other than her to be her death. Twenty feet out you found out that it was a cliff, but she kept on walking towards it, smiling slightly to herself.

Just as she was about to be tipped over the edge, she was pulled back by firm and gentle hands. Kennedy laughed quietly and turned around to find Kathryn smiling at her like she was crazy.

"You're insane, you know that? You could've fallen and died." Kathryn said simply, not letting go of Kennedy's shoulders and looking into the taller woman's brown eyes.

"I know you wouldn't have let me die, Kat." Kennedy teased, tilting her head to the side and looking at her best friend. "Besides, I could've found a way not to… fall…"

Kathryn laughed. "Right, you would've sprouted wings and flown back up. Or maybe you'd have floated? I'm the one that's supposed to be like that, not you." she looked at the older brunette and then out to the gorge they were facing.

She walked up to the edge and laid on her back, looking up to the millions of stars that shone down on them while Kennedy did the same soon after.

Lying side by side, their arms touching, they stayed for long moments, their breathing falling in synch and their individual warmth banding together to fight off the slight bite in the air.

After some minutes more, Kennedy tipped her head onto her best friends shoulder, Kathryn placing hers on top of Kennedy's and smiling, the other doing the same.

As the nearly full moon moved across the sky with the stars, sleep began to fall on the two, both having trouble keeping their heavy lidded eyes open. Kennedy fell asleep first, her breaths becoming deep and spaced farther apart. Kathryn smiled and looked down slightly at her. Before she too succumbed to sleep, she placed a small kiss on the top of the others head and placed her jacket over Kennedy, who shivered slightly next to Kathryn as she slept.

Finally closing her eyes, she let her breathing fall into the same rhythm as Kennedy, and soon she was asleep.

X

When Kennedy woke, she found to her delight that unlike the nippy air around her, she wasn't cold. A khaki green cotton utility jacket was draped around her, and she had another source of warmth beside her; Kathryn.

Her best friend was still asleep, unusual for her. Kat rarely liked to be caught sleeping, she was usually the last to bed and the first to rise. Kennedy didn't understand why. She looked so peaceful when she was sleeping, so innocent.

Maybe that was why. Maybe she didn't feel she was innocent, so she didn't want anyone else to think her so. Whatever the reason, Kennedy didn't understand it, she couldn't fathom why Kathryn wouldn't want anyone to see her like this.

She was so beautiful when she was sleeping, as she was when she was awake. The only difference was that when sleeping, Kathryn posed no rebuttal when someone would complement.

Smiling to herself, Kennedy paused a short moment before leaning over and giving the other a faint kiss on the forehead. There was no movement from Kathryn, so Kennedy took the jacket from around herself and placed it on her friend.

Getting up, Kennedy walked to the edge of the cavern to stretch her cramped legs. She could see the slowly rising sun, and she checked her watch; 4:55 AM. Her mother would already be up, if she had gone to sleep at all.

Which would mean some minor hell to pay for not telling anyone where she was going, and for being late to her 5:30 AM training session, but Kennedy didn't care, it was worth it.

Being here with the only person that made sense for her to be with here, the only person who made her feel this way, was miles better than anything she could think of. Still, she knew that she had to be patient, that they needed to start things at a slow pace to figure everything out.

All of a sudden Kennedy got an uneasy feeling. Looking back to make sure that Kathryn was alright, she took a look into the dense forest.

There!

There was a movement of something purpley blue and blurry.

Kennedy shouted to Kathryn, but the woman didn't wake. Panicking, Kennedy rushed over and checked for a pulse. There was one, and she was breathing. Shaking Kat still didn't work, but she didn't have much chance to do anything else; a sudden blast of wind threw her back, dangerously close to the edge. Still Kathryn 'slept'.

Kennedy struggled to get up, but something kept her down.

Spotting the owner of the previous purple standing twenty feet away, Kennedy became panicked.

Kathryn was between them, stirring slightly but remaining asleep.

What would it do to her?

The thing flashed her a set of teeth too long to be human, and waved it's arm at Kennedy.

No…

This can't be happening…

Kennedy was falling, her back facing the ground and her front to the sky. It was strange, not at all what she thought the idea of her imminent death would bring her. She felt… calm but terrified, both at the same time.

She was halfway down, twenty stories separating her from the unforgiving ground.

Seven.

Six..

Five…

Why was it taking so long? It was like there was an updraft slowing her down, as if the wind thought it had made a mistake and was trying to make up for it.

Suddenly she saw something above her. She couldn't believe it. She felt even more terrified than before, realization filling where the calm had been.

Kat had fallen.

Kat had been pushed?

…Kat had jumped.

She felt sick as she saw her best friend falling faster than she herself was, a look of determination and concentration taking hold on her face.

When Kathryn got within arms reach of the slowly falling Kennedy, she wrapped her up into her arms, holding her close and shutting her eyes. All Kennedy could do was fiercely return the hug, burrowing her head in the nape of her neck, tightly closing her own eyes.

Then, they stopped. Ten feet from the ground, in midair. Kennedy opened her eyes and gave a gasp of surprise at what she saw. They were floating. Hovering. Flying, to be exact. Flying without wings.

Wind was wisping around them slightly, again helping the two of them. But it was all Kathryn who was doing it. She had summoned a power lost and never found to her before this.

They slowly descended to the ground, and once there, Kennedy's knees gave out. All her strength had fled after she fell from her terror, and it had not since returned.

The two looked into each others eyes, then Kennedy spoke.

"You jumped after me?" Kathryn nodded. "Why? You've never been able to even really levitate yet. You could have died."

"I'd rather have died trying to save you than lived knowing I did nothing." Kathryn spoke softy. They were still embraced, Kathryn supporting Kennedy's weight effortlessly.

Kennedy was speechless. She looked into the other woman's eyes for a long time and moved her head a mite closer slowly, Kathryn doing the same just as slowly.

When their lips were close to meeting, a voice reverberating down to them causing them to look up instead of at each other. It was Aria.

Kennedy gave a small laugh and looked back at the other woman, blushing in the same fashion as Kathryn was. Attempting to stand, it took Kennedy a few tries and some help for Kathryn to remain upright for more than five seconds. Whatever that demon had hit her with was really smarting.

"How are we going to do this?" Kathryn asked, looking around for an alternate way to the top of the ravine. The only one she could see was the forty stories separating them from Aria, who was calling down something that was met with deaf ears.

"You can do this, Kathryn. You can get us up there." Kennedy held the woman's hands between her own and gave her a kind smile. Kathryn only looked defeated in response.

"I… I don't think I can. What if I get us halfway up there, then the Fates suddenly decide that we're gonna fall?" Kathryn sighed.

"I believe in you. I trust you. I know that you can get us up there. You just have to believe in yourself, first. Wow, I sound like a crappy after-school special, don't I?" Kennedy gave a cheesy grin. Kathryn looked at her, a playful glint to her eyes.

"I loved after-school specials. Still do, you know?" Kennedy just laughed and rolled her eyes, but she took the words to heart.

"Here." Kathryn said, suddenly becoming serious. She drew her hands from Kennedy's and held them shoulders length apart, palms up, as if welcoming some unseen being. Kennedy looked at the other woman. She was so beautiful, but she never seemed to notice that she was. She was born to be a leader, a hero, a Champion. Kennedy was proud to be close to this woman, to know her. To have watched her grow up when she herself did, and to be her friend. She stepped into Kathryn's arms, feeling safer than she ever had before.

She rested her head on the slightly shorter woman's shoulder as Kathryn brought her arms up so they wrapped around her back in an 'X'. Kennedy placing her arms in the same fashion.

Both closed their eyes, Kathryn's breathing became shallow and raspy. Kennedy could practically feel the energy flowing out of the other. She knew it was pushing the limits of her magicks, trying something so new to her after she had just expended so much, but Kathryn didn't care. As long as she Kennedy up to the top without dropping her, she was fine.

After what seemed like hours, they started to rise. Slowly at first, but then gaining speed. A short time later and they were at the top, alone. Aria was nowhere to be found.

"You did it!" Kennedy beamed at Kathryn, amazed but not surprised. The girl had more power than she cared to admit. She was looking strained and tired, but she still wore a look of triumph.

"You were right." Kathryn smiled, studying the other woman's face and letting out a mild sigh of relief. Her tone indicated skepticism.

"You expected me to be wrong? Come on, you can't always doubt your powers. They're… powerful. So are you." The taller brunette grabbing the others hand and squeezing slightly. They were only a foot or two apart and Kennedy could still feel the magicks leaving the other.

Her power came with a cost now, but once she honed her skills and became more adept with the flying, she'd lose less and less, until finally it took no effort at all. Kathryn's aunts would help her with that, but for now the two needed to find out what the attack and subsequent rescue attempt were all about, and then they'd come back to the whole… matter.

X

"You don't realize the consequences of your actions, Kennedy. You're being reckless, going off in the middle of the night to the middle of nowhere, doing God knows what. What if you had been attacked by more than just one of those things, what then?" Buffy Summers' voice rang out in what she referred to as her office. She really didn't like the naming of it, but at least it sounded official.

Kennedy had been hauled into her mothers office after dinner, and after practice. Apparently some of the creatures from before attacked a group of training Slayers. Buffy had been worried sick for her daughter, missing her own training.

Angel was out on business with Xander in tow, the once vampire now able to walk freely in the sunlight. He had been born anew, thanks to the final stand he took, along with Illyria, Gunn, and Spike.

For their sacrifice, they had all been granted one desire, including life again. For Angel, it was mortality; a chance at a family with Buffy. Gunn had wanted Wolfram and Hart to be shut down, but it hadn't had the full effect; it only injured them slightly.

Illyria had surprised everyone, wanting Fred to be brought back to life. She now resided in a body all her own, even if the two looked strikingly similar (save for Illyria's blue hair).

But it had been Spike that had surprised everyone the most. He wanted to be brought back mortal, yes, but also for a life without Buffy's love. Like always, it didn't work as long as he hoped, and they winded up back together. After choosing Angel over him, Spike fell into a spell of depression and booze.

Bad tequila led to other things when Spike had visited his old friend Taysh Nika, or Aysh. They'd known each other for centuries, literally. So it surprised neither of them when they found comfort in each others arms. This led to the conception of Kathryn.

Well, now Spike had disappeared off the face of the earth, so it was only Gunn, Angel, Illyria and Fred.

"I was with Kat, I was safe." Kennedy said in a low voice, eyes downcast. She was used to being reprimanded for what she did, but she didn't like it.

"Kathryn..." Buffy said with a slight, disapproving laugh. "It doesn't matter; you know how I feel about you sneaking out. You're stupid if you think the two of you could've handled an army of those things." Buffy looked sternly at her daughter, anger in her eyes.

"You don't know, we could have. Or, we could've gotten out of there." Kennedy compromised, meeting her mothers glare.

Buffy gave another laugh. "Oh, and I suppose that Kathryn would have flown the two of you out? She nearly died, and you did, too." Buffy's words stung Kennedy.

"You've come back from death -twice!" She knew it was a feeble point, but she tried it nonetheless.

"There's a difference between my deaths and being flattened on the ground. There would be no coming back from that. You're just lucky that that hal- that Kathryn was there," Buffy caught herself before saying 'halfling'. "You know how I feel about Kathryn; she's dangerous." Buffy near shouted at her fidgeting daughter. Kennedy really didn't want to be there.

"You're an idiot if you actually believe that you could be capable of handling yourself against so many creatures." Buffy near whispered, her voice low and harsh. Her words cut into Kennedy's heart.

"Do you understand me? You are not to sneak off anymore. There will be severe consequences if you do. If you'll excuse me, I have errands to do." Buffy finished, motioning her daughter to the door. She was only hard on her because she cared, she told herself.

When Kennedy got out, she ran to the west wing, her eyes burning with promises of the tears to come. She found a secluded spot, and sank down, her back against the marble wall. She tilted her head back and tried to hold the tears in, but she was having a hard time doing so.

Her mother made her so mad. Kennedy knew it was only for her own good, but her words hurt, even if her mother didn't realize the scope of them.

Kennedy heard light footfalls, and she opened her eyes. Kathryn was running towards her, a concerned look on her face. She had told Kat that Buffy wanted to see her later that night, but Kennedy just didn't want her friend seeing her like this.

Kathryn didn't even have to say anything, she just knelt next to Kennedy and held her as she cried, rubbing circles on her back and giving her a soft kiss on her head before resting her head upon the sobbing woman's.

"Ken, it's going to be ok. I know it hurts, but you've got to get past what she says. It doesn't mean anything." Kathryn whispered to her when she was calming down.

They sat there for a long time, Kathryn soothing the other, Kennedy just sitting there, eyes closed, as if she was still trying to hold in tears. After more long moments of silence, Kathryn looked down into Kennedy's eyes.

"I've got a surprise for you. One that won't get you in shit this time." she added with a wink. She stood up and motioned for Kennedy to do the same. Kathryn led her outside the castle, to a dilapidated old farmhouse close by. She pointed around back.

"Willow was teaching the Novice's elemental spells, and one was testing out their ice abilities here." Kathryn smiled as she walked Kennedy behind the house. Sure enough, there was a rather large, smooth, ice rink, opaque snow walls around most of it, and about six feet of snow extending outwards from the ground.

"I helped smooth it out, it was pretty bumpy before." Kennedy laughed, seeing four pairs of skates lined up on the snow. Kathryn ran over and took a pair, Kennedy following.

Once they had them on, they went right out onto the ice.

"Having troubles?" Kathryn teased the other woman, who was standing at the edge on the snow, not quite ready to test the ice.

"I never really do this; skating. I mean, I haven't since I was really young. Even then I wasn't that good. I would always-" Kennedy rambled but was cut off by Kathryn.

"Come on, you're safe. I'll be here. Stop making excuses and get out here!" Kat smiled mischievously, holding out her hand. The older brunette took it, wobbling slightly on the ice, but ultimately gaining a good stance.

"See? It's not that hard." Kennedy smiled as she and Kathryn went slow at first, gaining speed slowly. They made one lap around the ice before Kathryn let go of her hand and turned, skating backwards and watching intently.

Kennedy got the hang of it, slipping slightly and swearing, which set Kathryn off into a small burst of laughter.

Not seeing where she was going, Kathryn hit a groove and fell onto the ice. Which then sent Kennedy into hysterics. "Not so high-and-mighty now, are we?" she managed to get out between laughs.

"Ha ha," Kathryn smiled, before reaching up her hand, "help me up, funny lady."

Kennedy pondered the thought for an exaggerated moment, then reached her hand down. But she put her weight too far forward, and ended up falling, too. Like so many times before, Kathryn was there to catch her. Kennedy fell on top of Kathryn, the latter easily supporting the formers weight. They started laughing, and after a while they quieted. Both of their breaths hitched in their throats.

Kathryn reached her hand up and brushed a bit of snow from Kennedy's hairline, Kennedy reaching down to brush away the others hair from her eyes.

Slowly Kennedy moved her mouth downwards, and their lips met. The kiss seemed to last forever, yet when it ended it was too soon gone.

For a long while they looked at each other before Kennedy rolled beside the other, mirroring what she had done the previous night. Kathryn moved her head so that it nestled Kennedy's between her head and shoulder.

"We need to talk about this." Kennedy started, propping herself up on an elbow to look at the other woman. For a moment, Kathryn was afraid she had done something wrong, misinterpreted the signals. Seeing the look on her face, Kennedy quickly shook her head.

"Not about us. There is an us. Don't worry. Unless there isn't an us? I mean, I think there is, but if you don't-" Kennedy was cut off from rambling by another kiss, instigated by Kathryn this time.

"There's an us." Kathryn said firmly. "Definitely."

Kennedy smiled, and then let out a sigh of contentment. She studied the other woman's face; her deep brown eyes, the random freckles on her face, her slightly turned up nose.

A sudden thought struck her; she was in love. Wholeheartedly, all encompassing love. She felt fear at this realization, but joy as well. Giving Kat a small smile, she took a deep breath.

"I... I love you. So much. And it scares me, because I don't want it to end." Kennedy whispered the words. "I know, you probably think I'm crazy, talking like this. I mean, I do." she ended with a small smile.

Kathryn leaned in and gave her another kiss. When they pulled apart, she shrugged.

"You kinda are. Love does that sometimes."

Kennedy laughed, then shivered. She had just remembered that they were lying on ice and snow, and she was dressed for Autumn. Ingenious idea.

"Maybe we should get up from the rink, it's getting pretty cold." Kathryn suggested, as if reading the others mind.

"Yeah. Plus, I've got that whole 'Mother-Daughter training thing later." Kennedy sighed, her mind wanting to wander back from thinking about her mothers harsh words. She'd rather be lost in the feelings being with Kathryn brought her, and the bliss in their kisses.

She looked to Kat, unsure of her puzzled expression. "What?"

"She's making you go to another training session?" Kathryn looked almost hurt, knowing that it meant less time together.

"You know.. it's just so that I'm not near you. That's the only reason she's making me go through all this. You know I don't want to, it's just that she.." Kennedy couldn't bring herself to say it, a part of her thinking that if she did, it would be just as bad should the words have originated in her. She cast her eyes downwards, not wanting to hurt the other.

Kathryn took the other woman's face in her hands, gently pulling her eyes to her own.

"It's okay. I understand. I seriously wouldn't want to be going up against the Big Slayer on Campus. Which, kind of begs the question why I am. But, it's because of you, I guess. And guess what? You're worth it." Kathryn gave a half smile as she stopped rambling.

Kennedy scoffed, shaking her head and then letting a grin come to her fine features.

She checked her watch. There was still three hours before she was due. A sly smile creeped onto her face.

"Want to go back for some tea? Coffee? Hot chocolate? Another warm beverage that takes a small amount of time to make, and give us more.. us time?"

****

Hopefully more soon, but I'm still just working on the last few parts. Thanks for the reviews! I 3 you all (both…)

Reads and reviews more than welcomed.


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